Steering attachment.



A.H.1ERRY. STEERING ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 23, 1914.

Patented July 14, 1914.

7 v w @k Witnesses Attorneys ALMERON H. PERRY, 0F GENESEE,IEENNfiYLVANIi-L.

STEERING- ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentedduly ild, iei i.

Application filed April 23, 1914. Serial No. 833,962.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALMnnoN H. PERRY, acitizen of the United States, residing at Genesee, in the county ofPotter and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulSteeringAttachment, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to steering gear attachments, and aimsto provide a novel and improved device of that character.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a simple,non-encumbering and inexpensive attachment for a steering gear of amotor vehicle, or other self-propelled contrivance, and which will be ofsuch construction and operation as to tend to stabilize or hold atneutral position, the steering ear.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a steering gearstabilizer which may be readily applied to various steering gears, andwhich will enable the steering gear to be more readily controlled by theoperator, the present device being simple, practical, and eflicient inits operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which 'will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of partsand in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawing, whereinv Figure 1 is a plan view, portions beingshown in section, of the improved attachment as applied to the steeringgear of. a motor vehicle. Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged cross sectionalviews taken on the lines 2-2 and 3-3, respectively, of Fig. "1.

In the drawing, wherein the device has been illustrated as applied tothe steering gear of a motor vehicle, although it is to be understoodthat the present device is applicable to steering gears of motor boats,or other self-propelled contrivances, the numeral l designates the frontaxle of the vehicle, which has pivoted to the ends thereof, the usual,steering lmuckles 2, to which the steering wheels 8 are journaled. Theknuckles 2,'as usual, are connected by a steering rod 4 parallel withthe axle 1, for constraining the knuckles 2 to swing simultaneously. 4

The present attachment embodies a tubular casing 5, which is attached tothe axle 1 by means of clamps 6. The clamps 6 preferably comprise twoparts or sections 0on nected by bolts, as clearly illustrated, and inthe present instance,the parts or sections of t-heclamps 6 at one sideof the axle 1 are provided with integral caps 7 threadedly or otherwiseengaged over the ends of the easing 5, to thereby support the casingfrom the axle, and to close the ends of the casing at the same time. tit Slidably disposed within the elongated casing 5, is a pair of spacedblocks 8, which are preferably circular in cross section so as to fitsnugly within the casing 5, and which are constrained against rotary oroscillatory movements and limited in their reciprocatory or rectilinearmovements, by means of stops or pins .9 threadedly engaging the blocks 8and working within longitudinal slots 10 formed in the casing 5. Theblocks 8 are spaced apart, and spaced from the ends of caps of thecasing 5, coiled wire expansion springs 11 being disposed within thecasing 5 between the blocks 8 and the caps 7, to normally force theblocks 8 toward each other, but enabling the blocks 8 to yield towardthe respective ends of the casing.

A slide 12, preferably of. circular cross section, is disposed snuglywithin the central portion of the casing 5 between the 8, "and ispreferably ofsuch a length that its ends normally abut against theadjacent ends of the blocks 8 to hold the slide 12 at neutral position.The casing 5 is problocks 9 vided at that side remote from the axle 1,

with a longitudinal elongated slot 13 adjacent the slide 12, and throughwhich an arm 14 extends so as to threadedly or otherwise engage theslide 12. The free end of the arm 14, which extends radially slide 12,is operatively connected to the steering rod 4 by means of a clamp 15,as clearly illustrated, having an upstanding apertured ear 16 looselyreceiving the free end portion of the arm 14, in order that thereciprocatory or rectilinear motion of the steering rod 4 will beimparted to the slide 12 of the present attachment.

As will be obvious from the foregoing, the present attachment may bereadily and inexpensively manufactured, and applied to the steeringgear, so that the blocks 8 being from the or controlling of the machineis rendered more easy, inasmuch as the steering wheels forwardposit-ions without any effort. on the part of the operator beingnecessary, although the steering Wheels may be readily angled to oneside or the other when necessary or desirable. Thus, when the steeringrod 4 is moved to one side or the other, to steer the machine, the arm14 being moved with the steering rod, will slide the slide or member 12in the corresponding direction so as to force the block 8, toward Whichthe slide 12 is moved, toward the respective end of the casing 5, tothereby compress the corresponding spring 11. In this manner,

as the wheels are angled in one direction,

one of the springs 11 will be brought under compression, therebyassisting inreturning the steering wheels to normal position, when thesteering rod 4 is released, as when the hand wheel (not shown) isreturned to normal position, or released. Since the inward movement ofthe blocks 8 are limited by the stops 9 of the blocks working within theslots 10 of the casing 5, when the slide 12 is moved toward one end ofthe casing 5, the block 8 from which the slide 12 moves, will be held inplace, to prevent it following the slide 12. When tral or centralposition, it will be yieldably held in such position, by the blocks 8,which bear against the ends of the slide 12.

By adjusting thev clamp 15 along the steering rod 4, theproperadjustment of the attachment may be made, to hold the steering rodnormally at any desired position, according to the circumstances, italso being observed that the casing 5 may be adjusted longitudinally byloosening and sliding the clamps 6 along the axle 1.

From the foregoing, the salient features and capabilities of the presentinvention will be obvious to those versed in the art, without furthercomment being necessary.

W111 be maintained at their normal straight the slide 12 is at neuwhatis claimed as new is:

\ 1. Ina steering gear stabilizer, an elongated casing having a slottherein, a slide Having thus described the invention,

within the casing, an arm attached to the 2. In a steering gearstabilizer, an elongated casing having a slot therein, spring pressedblocks havinglimited sliding movements within the casing, a slidemounted within the casing between the blocks, and

an arm carried by the slide and working through the said slot.

3. In a steering gear stabilizer, an elongated casing, having alongitudinal slot, caps engaged to the ends of the casing, spaced blockshaving limited sliding movements within the casing, expansion springsdisposed within the casing bet-ween the blocks and caps, a slide mountedwithin the casing between the said blocks, and an arm carried 'by theslide and working through the said slot.

4. The combination with an axle and a steering rod, of a. casingattached to the axle, a spring held slide mounted within the casing andhaving an'arm, and a clamp engaged to the steering rod and having anapertured portion receiving the free end of the said arm. I

5. The combination with an axle and steering rod, of an elongatedcasing, clamps engaged to the axle and having caps engagingthe ends ofthe casing, a slide mounted within the casing and havingan arm workingthrough the casing, springs disposed between the said caps and slide tohold the slide yieldably at neutral position, and a clamp engaged to thesteering rod and having an apertured portion loosely receiving the freeend of the said arm.

In testimony that I claim the'foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy s1gna ture in the presence of two witnesses.

ALMERON H. PERRY.

Witnesses:

M. F. MoCARN, EARL S. ROBBINS.

